Benjamin scaeles



UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN SCARLES, OF CLINTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE CLINTON WIRE CLOTH COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

WIRE FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 350,698, dated October 12, 1886.

Application filed June 28, 1886. 7 Serial No. 206,436. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN SOARLES, of Clinton, in the county of \Vorcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Wire Fences, of which the following is a description sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which said invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of myimproved wire stretcher or fastener; Fig. 2, a side elevation of a fence,showing the stretcherin use; and Fig. 3, a diagram showing a modification of the fastener.

Likeletters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawlugs.

My invention relates more especially 'to means for straining and fastening the wires of the fence; and it consists in a novel construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed, the object being to produce a more effective device of this character than is now in ordinary use.

The nature and operation of the improvement will be readily understood by all conversant with such matters from the following explanation.

1n the drawings,A represents the stretcher, P the posts, and W the wires, of the fence. The fastener or stretcher consists of a stout wood or lag screw,A having an angular head, f, its body cl beingiprovided with an elongated slot, at, which extends longitudinally thereof through its center, and with a side opening or cut, z, through which' the wire is inserted in the slot. The screw is preferably made with a gimlet-point, z, and threaded coarsely, as shown at m,- but the screw-threads may be of any pitch desired, and the head of any suitable form to enable a wrench or screw-driver to engage the same properly. The wires W may be of any suitable gage or size, the posts P being composed of wood and of any desired form or size.

I do not confine myself to extending the slot x beneath the lip 70 of the body 01, as shown in Fig. 1, although I deem it preferable,as it onables several wires to be used in the same fastener, if desired; but where one wire only is employed I prefer to construct the slot as shown in Fig. 3.

In the use of my improvement screw-holes of a size suitable to receive the stretcher A are bored at regular intervals in the posts P. The wire W is inserted in the slot as through the opening z,and the stretcher is then turned into thepost by means of a wrench or any other suitable implement for that purpose until sufficient strain is exerted on the wire to draw it taut, and in some cases until the opening 2 is covered by the post, thus preventing the wire from escaping from the slot 00.

It will be'obvious that the stretcher acts to support and fasten the wire as well as stretch it. It will also be understood that in constructing the fence the ends of the wires are to be properly secured to the first post in the fence, the wires'being stretched by the fasteners or stretchers in the other posts successively.

Having thus explained myinvention,whatI claim is- A fastener for the wires of wire fences, the body of which is provided at one end with a head, at the other with a screw, and intermediately between said head and screw with a longitudinal slot, and with a lateral opening communicating with said slot, substantially as described.

BENJAMIN SCARLES.

Witnesses:

LoUIs G. BECK, GERALD ALLEY. 

